Old Catholic Church of Austria

Old Catholic Church of Austria
Classification Catholic
Theology Ultrajectine
Governance Episcopal
Leader Heinz Lederleitner
Associations International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference
Region Austria
Headquarters Vienna
Branched from Roman Catholic Church
Congregations 14
Members 11,500 (2007[1])
Ministers 15

The Old Catholic Church of Austria is the Austrian member church of the Union of Utrecht for Old Catholic churches. It was nationally recognized in 1877, despite objections of the imperial dynasty and the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the formally pro-Vatican I state of Austria-Hungary.

In 1997, the church began ordaining women.[2] In 2007, the church elected Bishop John Okoro, who was born in Nigeria and ordained as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, but joined the Old Catholic Church of Austria in 1999.[3] Prior to his election he had been the parish priest in Vorarlberg.

References

  1. ↑ http://religion.orf.at/projekt03/news/0711/ne071119_okoro_fr.htm
  2. ↑ Wofür wir stehen: Der lange Weg zur Frauenordination.
  3. ↑ Oliver Pink: Interview: Wollte Priester bleiben und Ja zur Liebe sagen, 19 November 2007.

Coordinates: 48°12′58″N 16°22′01″E / 48.2161°N 16.3669°E / 48.2161; 16.3669

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